Calling for the Immediate Release of Ryan Corbett, A United States Citizen

Floor Speech

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Ms. TENNEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the Representative for yielding.

I rise in strong support of my resolution on the floor today calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, a United States citizen, who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, and condemning the wrongful detention of Americans by the Taliban. This resolution demands the Taliban immediately and unconditionally release Ryan Corbett and all other wrongfully detained Americans from captivity.

When I first heard from my constituent Ryan Corbett's lovely wife, Anna, about Ryan's detention and the brutal conditions he was facing, I was heartbroken. Our community is heartbroken.

Ryan was detained by the Taliban, as I said, on August 10, 2022, after dedicating over a decade of his life and his family's life to helping the Afghan people start a self-sustaining local economy.

To date, Ryan has never been charged with a crime. Ryan is being held in a 9- by 9-foot basement cell without regular access to a bathroom, sunlight, medical care, or decent food.

Reports from now-freed individuals who were detained with Ryan state that he is in poor health with discolored extremities. He suffers from fainting and seizures and fading eyesight.

Ryan has been held for over 670 days. He has had only a mere handful of phone calls with his loving wife, Anna, and his three children, Ketsia, Miriam, and Caleb, all of whom were my guests at the State of the Union Address this year.

The Biden administration must do everything in its power to bring Ryan home and reunite him with Anna and their three wonderful children and let them spend time with their father in the way they should.

I am honored that 72 Members on both sides of the aisle have joined me as original cosponsors of this resolution, making it clear that freeing Ryan is a bipartisan priority.

In crafting this resolution, I worked closely with the minority and majority staff of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and, of course, the Corbett family. I give my heartfelt thanks to Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and everyone in leadership on all sides of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their support in helping this resolution come to the floor. I am pleased to see that it passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously on February 6.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution and show the Biden administration that Congress is paying attention and stands united in demanding Ryan's freedom.

Further, this resolution will send an indisputable message to Ryan and all of our American detainees that Congress is there with them, thinking of them and praying for them, and that we are continuing to work to secure their release.

I acknowledge and thank Anna Corbett and her children for their strength and courage during these difficult days filled with uncertainty and anguish about Ryan's health and whether he will be returned.

I also mention a special word of note. Anna is a true inspiration to everyone, not only her children but everyone in our community. She exhibits incredible grace and resolve in an unimaginably difficult situation as the mother of three children and the wife of Ryan Corbett, who has been suffering this for over 670 days.

Madam Speaker, I again thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and everyone who has joined in advocating for Ryan's release, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support this commonsense resolution. I thank everyone for their love and care of the Corbett family.

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